This invention relates to an installation apparatus for installing a wire harness over a fixed structural body (such for example as a vehicle body of an automobile) and a movable structural body (such as a slide seat or a slide door) movable relative to the vehicle body.
For example, an electrically-operated auxiliary equipment such as an electrically-operated slide mechanism is contained in a slide seat and a slide door of a vehicle such as an automobile. A wire harness is installed over a vehicle body and the slide seat or the slide door in order to supply electric power to such auxiliary equipment. FIG. 7 shows one known related installation apparatus for installing a wire harness over a vehicle body and a slide door (see, for example, JP-A-2004-112984).
As shown in FIG. 7, the installation apparatus 101 disclosed in JP-A-2004-112984 includes a synthetic resin-made case 105 which includes a box-like base portion 102 and a plate-like lid 103, and receives a wire harness 104 folded back into a U-shape, a slider 107 engaged with a guide rail 106 of the base portion 102 so as to slide therealong, and a harness holding member 108 which is supported on the slider 107, and receives and protects a wire harness portion 104a led out of the case 105.
This installation apparatus 101 is mounted in a vertically-disposed condition on a slide door, and the wire harness portion 104a (which is one end-side portion of the wire harness 104), led out of the case via the harness holding member 108, is connected to a power source and others of a vehicle body, and the other end of the wire harness 104 is connected to an auxiliary equipment of the slide door and others. In accordance with the sliding movement of the slide door, the harness holding member 108, holding the wire harness portion 104a, moves along the guide rail 106 together with the slider 107 while suitably deforming the wire harness 104 within the case 105.
In the above installation apparatus 101, the sliding movement of the slider 107 is guided by the guide rail 106 provided at the base portion 102 of the case 105. This guide rail 106 comprises a pair of ribs 111 formed respectively at upper and lower edges of a recess portion 110 formed in a base plate portion 109 of the base portion 102, and the shape of this guide rail 106 is relatively complicated. Therefore, it is not easy to mold the guide rail 106 integrally with the synthetic resin-made case 105, and it is desired to simplify the guide mechanism of the slider 107. It may be proposed to form the guide rail 106 separately from the case 105. In this case, however, it is feared that the cost of the installation apparatus 101 is increased by an increased number of component parts.
The JP-A-2004-112984 suggests the application of the installation apparatus 101 to a slide seat. In this case, usually, the case 105 is mounted in a horizontally-disposed condition on the vehicle body, and the wire harness portion 104 (one end portion of the wire harness 104), led out of the case via the harness holding member 108, is connected to an auxiliary equipment of the slide seat and others, and the other end of the wire harness is connected to a power source and others of the vehicle body. Here, there is a possibility that a foreign matter intrudes into the case 105 through a slit-like opening 112 (in which the harness holding member 108 is disposed) in the case 105, and it is feared that the sliding movement of the slider 107 and harness holding member 108 is adversely affected by this foreign matter.
As shown in FIG. 8, the installation apparatus 1101 disclosed in JP-A-10-112922 includes a case 1102 of a generally rectangular tubular shape, and a slider 1103 movable along an upper outer surface of the case 1102 in a direction of sliding movement of the slide seat, and the wire harness 1104 is received in the case 1102 in such a manner that this wire harness is folded back into a generally U-shape.
One end of the wire harness 1104 is connected to an inner connector of the slider 1103 inserted into the interior of the case 1102 through a slit 1105 formed in an upper wall of the case 1102 and extending over an entire length thereof. The other end of the wire harness is connected to a connector 1106 provided at an end portion of the case 1102.
The inner connector of the slider 1103 is continuous with an outer connector 1107, and another wire harness, connected to an auxiliary equipment of the slide seat and others, is connected to this outer connector 1107. On the other hand, a wire harness, connected to a power source on the vehicle body, is connected the connector 1106 provided at the end portion of the case 1102.
When the slider 1103 moves in accordance with the sliding movement of the slide seat, the wire harness 1104, while suitably deformed, follows the slider 1103 with its U-shaped folded-back portion moved forward and rearward.
In the above installation apparatus 1101, when the slider 1103 moves, the wire harness 1104, while suitably deformed, follows the slider 1103 in such a manner that the U-shaped folded-back portion moves forward and backward in the direction of sliding movement in sliding contact with a bottom wall of the case 1102. Here, there is a possibility that foreign matters intrude into the case 1102 through the slit 1105 through which the inner connector of the slider 1103 is inserted into the case 1102, and these foreign matters will deposit on the bottom wall of the case 1102. Therefore, it is feared that the wire harness 1104 sliding on the bottom wall is damaged.
Furthermore, in the above installation apparatus 1101, a plurality of projecting piece portions each with a screw passage hole are usually formed on the outer surface of the case 1102, and screws are passed respectively through the screw passage holes of the projecting piece portions, and the case 1102 is fastened to the vehicle body by these screws. In this case, a space required for installing the installation apparatus 1101 is increased by an amount corresponding to the projecting piece portions.